Temple football notes: Emotional game for former Owls coach Geoff Collins

Georgia Tech head coach Geoff Collins hugs Temple’s # 18 Jadan Blue after the Georgia Tech vs Temple University football game at Lincoln Financial Field in Phila., Pa. on September 28, 2019.

ELIZABETH ROBERTSON / Staff Photographer

This wasn’t the homecoming that Geoff Collins envisioned but even in the aftermath of seeing his Georgia Tech team lose, 24-2, on Saturday to his former Temple squad, Collins saw something positive that happened postgame.

Collins earned his first head coaching job at Temple, where he guided the Owls the previous two years before leaving for Georgia Tech.

"Now that it is over, it was surreal,” Collins said in his postgame press conference.

He then talked about the relationships he has with the Temple players.

“The loss hurts really, really bad, multiplied by how personal it was, but at the end of the game, the amount of guys who came up and shared a little story about how we impacted their lives or how we made a difference, how they miss us, how they love us, and obviously that is reciprocal,” Collins said. “Those moments are special. It makes you think that at least whatever you have done the last two years of your life, the investment you made in somebody’s else’s life is worth it.”

Walls hits the end zone

Temple safety Benny Walls had a huge game, which included a 74-yard fumble return for a touchdown in the third quarter and an interception that he returned 65 yards to the Georgia Tech 35-yard-line in the fourth quarter. Walls also finished with six tackles.

Yet, it was scoring that had Walls so excited and rightfully so. The way he returned the fumble and even the interception reminded some of his running-back days at St. Joseph’s Prep.

“It felt good to score,” Walls said. “I haven’t scored since my senior year in high school.”

Quick turnaround

Temple won’t have much time to celebrate this win since the Owls open their American Athletic Conference schedule with Thursday’s 8 p.m. game at East Carolina, which improved to 3-2 with Saturday’s 24-21 win at Old Dominion.

“We are going to celebrate tonight and move on to ECU tomorrow,” said Temple linebacker Shaun Bradley, who had a team-high eight tackles.